This Mexican rice is the simple, deeply flavorful side dish that makes every taco night, burrito bowl, and Tex-Mex dinner significantly better. Long grain white rice cooked entirely in chicken broth until tender and fully flavored from the inside out, stirred together with melted butter, tomato sauce, and diced green chiles until every grain is coated in a rich, slightly spiced, tomato-forward sauce. Twenty minutes, one pot, and a rice that tastes like it came from your favorite Mexican restaurant.
The chicken broth is the secret and it is worth saying plainly. Rice cooked in water produces neutral, starchy grains that rely entirely on the sauce for flavor. Rice cooked in chicken broth absorbs a savory, slightly rich depth into every grain during the cook so by the time the tomato sauce and green chiles go in, the rice is already seasoned all the way through. The combination of broth-cooked rice and tomato sauce produces a result that tastes far more developed than the ingredient list suggests.
Ingredients Needed to Make Mexican Rice
Five ingredients and one pot. Here is what you need.
The Rice and Liquid
Long grain white rice produces the best individual, separate grains for this recipe. Two cups of chicken broth is the cooking liquid that does the foundational flavor work. The broth seasons every grain during the simmer and produces a noticeably more developed base than water.
The Sauce
A full 16 ounce can of tomato sauce coats the cooked rice in a rich, slightly sweet, tomato-forward sauce that defines the color and primary flavor of the finished dish. Diced green chiles from a 4 ounce can add a mild, slightly earthy, slightly spiced element that is the signature of Tex-Mex style rice.
The Butter
Half a stick of butter stirred into the hot rice before the sauce goes in adds a richness and a slight creaminess that makes the finished rice taste more indulgent and satisfying than a plain tomato rice.
How to Make Mexican Rice
One pot, 20 minutes.
Step 1: Cook the Rice in Broth
Add the rice and chicken broth to a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 to 18 minutes until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is completely tender. Do not lift the lid during cooking.
Step 2: Add the Butter
Remove the lid and add the butter directly to the hot cooked rice. Stir until the butter is completely melted and evenly coating the rice grains.
Step 3: Stir in the Sauce and Chiles
Pour the tomato sauce and the entire can of diced green chiles including their liquid into the buttered rice. Stir thoroughly until every grain is evenly coated in the sauce and the chiles are distributed throughout.
Step 4: Season and Serve
Taste and add salt as needed. Serve immediately while hot.
Storing and Reheating
Store in a sealed airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The rice will absorb the tomato sauce further as it sits and will be slightly drier and thicker the next day. Add a small splash of chicken broth when reheating and stir to loosen the sauce back to the right consistency. Reheat in a covered saucepan over medium-low heat or in the microwave on medium power in 60-second intervals, stirring between each.
Frequently Asked Questions About Mexican Rice
Why cook the rice in chicken broth instead of water?
Chicken broth contains proteins, fats, and flavor compounds from the bones and vegetables it was made from that absorb into the rice during cooking along with the liquid. Every grain of rice cooked in broth is seasoned from the inside out rather than being a neutral, starchy vehicle for whatever sauce goes on top. This is the single most impactful technique detail in this recipe and the reason the finished rice tastes more complex and developed than its ingredient list suggests. Always use broth rather than water for the best result.
Can I use tomato paste or diced tomatoes instead of tomato sauce?
Tomato sauce is specifically recommended because its smooth, pourable consistency coats every grain of rice evenly and produces the saucy, fully coated result that defines this dish. Tomato paste is too thick and concentrated in its raw form and would need to be thinned with additional broth to reach the right consistency. Diced tomatoes produce a chunkier, less cohesive result. If using diced tomatoes, blend them first to reach a sauce-like consistency before adding.
How spicy are the green chiles?
Canned diced green chiles, typically Hatch or Anaheim chiles, are very mild. They add a slightly earthy, vegetal warmth rather than significant heat and most people who are sensitive to spicy food can eat them without any discomfort. They are one of the mildest chile products available and are specifically chosen for their flavor contribution rather than their heat. For a spicier version, add a small amount of cayenne or use a can of diced jalapeños instead.
Mexican Rice
Ingredients
Instructions
- Cook the rice in the chicken broth according to package directions until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is completely tender.
- Add the butter directly to the hot cooked rice and stir until fully melted and incorporated.
- Pour in the tomato sauce and diced green chiles. Stir everything together until evenly combined and the rice is fully coated in the sauce.
- Taste and adjust salt as needed. Serve immediately.
Notes
- The chicken broth is the secret. Cooking the rice in broth rather than water builds a savory, deeply flavored base before any other ingredient is added. Do not substitute water.
- Add the butter while the rice is still hot so it melts completely into the grains rather than sitting on top.
- This rice thickens as it sits. If reheating, add a small splash of chicken broth to loosen it back up.
- Use a good quality tomato sauce since it is the primary flavor of the finished dish alongside the broth.
